Cost of War In Iraq

January 19, 2012

from the New Mexico News Connection - A statewide news service for New MexicoALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - A march in the Duke City on Friday is part of a national Day of Action that stretches from Bangor, Maine to San Diego, Calif. It marks the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court "Citizens United" decision and what it has come to represent.

The ruling has generated more than 100 grassroots challenges to the idea that corporations have the same free-speech rights as individuals. For some, the events are part of an effort to amend the U.S. Constitution. However, that is something Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU of New Mexico, considers dangerous.

"Any time you talk about amending the Constitution, it's a perilous venture - but more so when you're talking about amending what is arguably the most important citizen right, which is that of free speech."

While Simonson acknowledges concerns about the influence of big money in the electoral system, he supports other methods for addressing the effects of "Citizens United." One he suggests is putting a more rigorous public financing program in place for political campaigns.

"There could be further requirements to disclose the sources of contributions. There are ways of expanding mass communications oversight."

Tom Dent, event coordinator for Albuquerque's "Occupy the Courts" day of action, says the march and open mic at the federal courthouse are part of an effort to educate the public.

"This is the start of work on the local level. We plan to work with Albuquerque city councilors to get a local resolution passed."

Dent says additional efforts are under way to convince members of the New Mexico Legislature to consider a similar resolution opposing the "Citizens United" decision.The march on Friday starts from Robinson Park at 11:30 a.m. and ends at the Pete Domenici Federal Courthouse with a rally until 3 p.m.Beth Blakeman reporting, nmnc@newsservice.org.

from the New Mexico News Connection - A statewide news service for New MexicoLAS CRUCES, N.M. - Hispanic leaders in southwestern New Mexico are calling on Congress and the president to permanently protect the Organ Mountains and nearby Desert Peaks region. Hundreds of letters from Latinos are being sent to Washington, D.C., asking for greater protections for public lands.

John Muñoz, president of the Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces, says the area is culturally important - particularly to Hispanics and Native Americans.

"The Camino Real or the Butterfield Trail, those are key as far as settlers in early times. For the Native Americans, some of these lands are mystical, and have a religious and cultural connection."

The Organ Mountains-Doña Ana County Conservation and Protection Act (S 1024) is sponsored by Sens. Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall. It isn't the first time the two New Mexico lawmakers have tried to protect nearly 400,000 acres of public land in Doña Ana County.

Muñoz also sees protecting these lands as an opportunity for a long-term economic boost for Hispanic workers and business owners struggling to make a living in the area. It has tourism and research value as home to thousands of ancient Native American petroglyphs and pictographs on canyon walls.

Some of these lands have received interim protection as Wilderness Study Areas, but Muñoz says others are vulnerable to a variety of threats.

"If we leave these lands open and not protected, leave them open to development, it would mar the land that we have. It's like taking a classic painting and coming to it with crayons and making a mess of it."

Communities in Action and Faith (CAFÉ) Executive Director Sarah Nolan says the area that her faith-based community organization is seeking to protect offers something unique.

"The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks region ranges from 9,000-foot mountains to volcanic craters. Some things we are used to seeing are desert mule deer and three different species of quail, and we have javelina come through New Mexico here."

Passage of the bill would mean more than 271,000 acres designated as wilderness, and the creation of a National Conservation Area of over 100,000 acres around the Organ and Doña Ana Mountains and parts of Broad Canyon.Beth Blakeman reporting, nmnc@newsservice.org

from the New Mexico News Connection - A statewide news service for New MexicoSANTA FE, N.M. - The 2012 legislative session could mean quality-of-life improvements for low-income New Mexicans, according to the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-New Mexico. It is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and promotes state public policies and action for social and economic justice. Regarding the forthcoming session, Ruth Hoffman, director of the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry for New Mexico, says her organization will be focused primarily on holding the economic line for the state's lowest-income residents."We're looking at making sure that no further cuts are made to programs that impact people living in poverty in New Mexico, hoping to restore some of those cuts that were made in the last years."The Lutheran Advocacy Ministry has developed an ambitious agenda for the legislative session. It includes a campaign called "Invest In Kids Now," to focus on getting a constitutional amendment on the ballot this fall to increase funding for early-childhood programs in New Mexico.Hoffman says tax issues will also be a focus of the Lutheran Ministry. The group wants to be certain that whatever tax bills are passed, there is still enough revenue to meet the state's basic needs. She says one particular tax proposal that the ministry has supported for years is state Senator Peter Wirth's Combined Reporting bill - although so far, without success. Wirth is a Democrat from Santa Fe."This would require out-of-state corporations to pay corporation income tax here in New Mexico, just like in-state corporations do."On the hunger front, Hoffman wants to see funding restored for food banks. Her organization also hopes to maintain the elementary school breakfast program. In terms of housing and homelessness issues, Hoffman says ELCA wants lawmakers to continue funding for shelters, and more."We're also supporting an increase in funding for our State Housing Trust Fund."

The State Housing Trust Fund is a grant fund for bricks-and-mortar projects that serve low-income people.

Also on this year's advocacy agenda are health care and immigration issues, including reinstating driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants

January 09, 2012

from the New Mexico News Connection - A statewide news service for New MexicoALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Scholarships from the New Mexico Lottery could be getting harder to win. Some 75,000 students have benefited from the scholarships since 1996. However, the lottery is now predicting flat sales and flat revenues through 2016, in part due to casino competition. Gerry Bradley, research director with New Mexico Voices for Children, expects there will be more eligible students than money under the current application criteria."The lottery scholarship now is restricted to New Mexico high school graduates who go directly into college and maintain about a C average."That means a lot of eligible students, and making matters worse is that tuition has continued to rise. Bradley sees additional trouble on the horizon with the possible emergence of online gambling, which could add even more competition for the lottery.Bradley's organization suggests that the problem could be eased by reserving the lottery scholarships for those in financial need."Because of the pressure on the lottery scholarship, it would be redirected to students who meet a set of income eligibility requirements."One area where the pressure could ease up a bit is tuition. Bradley says the legislature is considering increasing expenditures for higher education in fiscal year 2013 by 5.4 percent. "It looks better to me because the legislature is proposing to pay more into higher ed."The New Mexico Legislature meets for a 30-day session beginning Jan. 17. The House Education Committees begin meeting Jan. 11.